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Bristol-Myers Squibb demonstrates potential for long-term survival in kidney cancer patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy

pharmafile | February 20, 2020 | News story | Business Services Cancer, Cancers, Yervoy, opdivo, renacl cell carcinoma, renal cancer 

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced updated results from trialing Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) versus sunitinib in patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

The results came from the Phase 3 CheckMate-214 study. With a follow-up of 42 months, the combination of Opdivo plus Yervoy yielded superior overall survival (OS), objective response rates, duration of response and complete response (CR) rates for intermediate/poor-risk (IP) patients compared to patients treated with sunitinib alone.

A significant survival rate was was observed in IP patients treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab compared to those treated with sunitinib alone. There were superior objective response rates of 42%, and complete response rates of 10% were observed in IP patients treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab compared to sunitinib alone, with 26% and 1% respectively.

Professor Thomas Powles, Director of Barts Cancer Centre, said: “These clinically meaningful results continue to demonstrate the potential of nivolumab plus ipilimumab to improve the long-term survival of intermediate/poor risk renal cell carcinoma patients. These patients suffer from significant unmet need and these results provide the clinical community with a further step in the right direction”.

Safety analysis showed that no new drug-related deaths occurred. In the UK, Opdivo is licensed in combination with ipilimumab as a first line treatment for adult patients with intermediate and poor-prognostic risk advanced RCC.

Faisal Mehmud, UK Country Medical Director of Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: “We are encouraged by the results of CheckMate -214, which showcase the potential positive, long-term effect of treating intermediate/poor risk RCC patients with nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Since the beginning of our nivolumab clinical development programme, we have aimed to improve treatment expectations for patients and, with these results, we are continuing to meet that ambition.”

There are 12,900 new cases of RCC every year, with 35 newly diagnosed patients every day. Around 5% of those diagnosed with Stage 4 RCC survive for five years or more following the diagnosis.

Conor Kavanagh

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